Alongside the Gate Theatre Dublin, we are proud to announce our co-production of Poor, the world premiere stage adaption of Katriona O'Sullivan's award-winning memoir.
Adapted for the stage by Sonya Kelly, and directed by Gate Theatre Artistic Director Róisin McBrinn.
Poor will make its world premiere on 2 October at the Gate Theatre as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival, and will transfer to the Belgrade Theatre in May 2026. Tickets for the Belgrade run will go on sale in September 2025.
Artistic Director Corey Campbell and Chief Executive Laura Elliot said:
“We’re incredibly proud to be co-producing Poor – Katriona O’Sullivan’s powerful and unflinching story, adapted for the stage by the brilliant Sonya Kelly – with our partners at the Gate Theatre, Dublin. Katriona grew up in Hillfields, just around the corner from where we work, and her journey is one of resilience, brilliance, and hope. This project speaks directly to our mission to tell the stories of local legends – voices that inspire, challenge, and reflect the lived experience of our communities. This also marks our first co-production with the Gate, and it’s a vital part of our commitment to making work that highlights the unique and enduring history between Coventry and Ireland.”
Poor charts Katriona O’Sullivan’s extraordinary journey as she emerges from her childhood in Coventry and Birmingham marked by poverty, addiction and homelessness. Moving to Dublin as a teenager, Poor follows Katriona as she overcomes seemingly insurmountable obstacles to earn a PhD from Trinity College Dublin and inspire a generation through her writing, teaching and speaking. This unforgettable story is vividly and movingly portrayed through her close relationships with family and friends, and thrums with the music that has resonated through her life.
Gate Theatre’s Artistic Director and director of Poor, Róisín McBrinn said:
“At the Gate, we are committed to creating meaningful international partnerships and we are delighted that the Belgrade in Coventry have come on board to co-produce Poor. The Belgrade is an important cultural beacon in the English midlands and an organisation that shares our values and dedication to the transformative power of theatre. Coventry was, of course, Katriona O’Sullivan’s first home so it is a perfect fit for this story. Amazingly, The Belgrade is where Katriona had her first theatrical experience when she was brought to see a panto there as a young girl. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration.”
This Gate Theatre and Belgrade world premiere will be a beacon of hope, resilience and community, and will be a catalyst for discussion and change around the most critical social issues of our time.
Full cast and creative team to be announced soon.
